Ohana’s 5-Year Celebration: Reflecting on the Key Moments for Ohana and for the EU

This year marks a special milestone — Ohana Public Affairs turns five!

As I look back on this incredible journey, I can’t help but feel immensely proud of how far we’ve come. From a small, one-person consultancy to a talented team that continues to grow, we’ve navigated significant changes in EU sustainability legislation alongside our partners and clients.

This path has been full of exciting developments, challenges, and triumphs, all celebrated during our 5-year anniversary party earlier this month. So, let’s take a moment to reflect on the highlights of the last five years, both within Ohana and in the EU, starting with a wonderful celebration of the community we’ve built!

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Celebrating Ohana’s Fabulous 5

Our incredible anniversary party was held in Brussels on 2 October, when we celebrated Ohana’s 5th year with over 70 guests.

The audience was highly diverse, as is the brilliant community we have built over these years. In attendance were representatives of the European Commission and Parliament, and from the textile & apparel, electrical & electronics, food, and furniture industries.

Members of the civil society were of course also present, as well as representatives from key environmental NGOs and the EU media.

Among our delightful guests was Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea, Director of Circular Economy in the European Commission’s Directorate General for Environment, who offered us an overview of the Commission’s upcoming priorities. After commenting on key aspects of EU legislation, including the ESPR and the WEEE, he highlighted that the Green Deal remains a priority, and called on the EU industry to persevere in its efforts towards sustainability.

Next, we heard from Megan Anderson, Vice President at Protect Our Winters Europe. Building on POW EU’s Manifesto for the 2024 European Election, her address stressed the need for continued leadership and maximum ambition, in the face of the ecological and climate crisis.

“The climate crisis is one that no one wants. But solutions to the climate crisis allow opportunity not just to reduce our emissions, but to improve our communities, our environment, and Europe’s economic stability. Policies that create more sustainable choices in the quality of our food, in the way we are able to move around our communities and across Europe through more sustainable and practical transport, and in the way we produce and consume energy can have significant co-benefits to our quality of life, to the health of our environment, to our energy security, and in building up Europe’s economic competitiveness. By considering policies from this broader perspective, we can determine whether they are as a whole contributing to our ability to make choices that will move us towards decreased emissions and quality of life co-benefits, or if they are using short-term promises to camouflage dead-ends. We are indeed in the decisive decade — but let us not forget that our decisions can be positive ones.” – Megan Anderson, Vice President Protect Our Winters Europe

Representing Icebug, a signatory of POW EU’s manifesto, Co-founder and Co-CEO David Ekelund spoke about the need for the EU to accelerate biodiversity restoration and the protection of wild places.

“As we look ahead, the EU must prioritise sustainability policies that address climate change and biodiversity loss while holding polluters accountable and empowering businesses to be part of the solution. We need to value nature not only for its economic and environmental role but for its intrinsic worth. Industries like the outdoor sector can inspire low-impact, fulfilling lifestyles that contribute to a regenerative future. The EU should avoid overburdening SMEs with compliance and instead focus on enabling new business models that work with nature, fostering a sustainable economy that benefits all.” — David Ekelund, Co-founder and Co-CEO Icebug

Then it was my turn to take the mic, and close this part of the night by expressing my deep gratitude to our lovely community. Despite much practice, I must say it was hard to put into words the appreciation I have for our team members, clients, and all others who have collaborated with us in this mission of driving positive environmental change in the EU.

To my surprise and delight, Rannveig van Iterson, our Head of Circularity and the first person I hired at Ohana, gave a speech I wasn’t expecting. It was emotional, heartwarming and brought a smile to everyone’s face.

After that, of course, it was time to party!

5-year Recap: Key Moments for Ohana and for the EU

Now let’s have a look at the milestone moments from these past 5 years, remembering not only the main happenings within Ohana, but also some key events within the EU policy landscape.

2019: The Beginning of Ohana and a Green Shift in the EU

Ohana milestones:

• In March 2019, after a memorable karaoke night out (maybe not coincidentally on International Women’s Day!), Ohana is born.
• Officially launched in September 2019, Ohana signs its very first client, H&M Group, marking the beginning of a brilliant partnership that has lasted to this day.

EU milestones:

• In December, Ursula von der Leyen’s European Commission takes office, setting the tone for the EU’s sustainability agenda.
• The EU Green Deal is unveiled, with the ambitious goal of making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

2020: Navigating a Pandemic and Expanding Horizons

Ohana milestones

• The COVID-19 pandemic shakes the world, and Ohana responds by offering support for engagement with policymakers related to providing personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as the impacts of the pandemic across supply chains.
• We join the 1% for the Planet initiative and start providing pro bono support to Protect Our Winters EU.
• The very first Ohana blog goes live on 29 September 2020, as we begin to regularly share our team’s expert insights on EU policy developments and sustainability.
• We welcome new clients, including EOG and Sympatex.

EU milestones

• In March, the EU adopts the Circular Economy Action Plan, reinforcing its ambition of shifting towards a sustainable and resource-efficient economy.
• The EU Textile Strategy is also published, as the foundation for more sustainable textile production and consumption.

2021: Growing and Innovating

Ohana milestones

• The Ohana team begins to expand, by welcoming Rannveig van Iterson as Senior Public Affairs Consultant in January.
• New clients join our portfolio, including the Sustainable Fashion Academy and Textile Exchange.
• We launch our webinar series services, offering organisations tailored updates on EU policy developments through live sessions throughout the year.

2022: More Fresh Talent and Services

Ohana milestones

• A wave of fresh talent lands at Ohana! In March, Luca Boniolo joins as Senior Public Affairs Consultant, and Jedrezej Nadolny as Junior Public Affairs Consultant.
• Gwen Manin becomes our Operations & HR Manager in August.
• Our new Legislation Mapping service is launched, helping clients navigate the impacts of upcoming EU policies on their businesses.
• DM&T comes on board as a client, further solidifying our collaboration with the textile sector.

2023: New Office, New Faces, and Recognition

Ohana milestones

• In April, we welcome Karina Grucka as Public Affairs Consultant, and by September, we move into our new office in the EU quarter — a strategic location that places us at the heart of EU policy making.
• October brings bittersweet changes: Luca leaves us to pursue new challenges, while Analoli del Cueto Menéndez joins the team as Trainee Consultant. Rannveig also steps into her new role as our Head of Circularity.
• Ohana is featured in Best in Brussels 2023-24 as one of the consultancies to watch, and with potential to be featured in future editions.
• New clients include Organic Cotton Accelerator and Triumph.

EU milestones

• The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) comes into force in January, marking a significant step towards greater corporate transparency on sustainability issues.

2024: Celebrating 5 Years of Ohana and New Beginnings

Ohana milestones

• Ohana’s celebrates its 5 years of existence!
• Our internal reorganisation is finalised, with Natalia Yerashevich joining as Head of Transparency & Supply Chains, and Enzo Caldora as Public Affairs Assistant.
  Karina is now promoted to Senior Public Affairs Consultant, Jedrezej rises to consultant and Analoli to junior consultant.
• Our range is once again expanded with our new Support Towards Compliance services.
• Best in Brussels 2024-25 edition features Ohana among the leading boutique consultancies, within the top 85 in Brussels, I’m also honoured to be listed as one of 2024-25’s top EU public affairs consultants.
• With great excitement, in September, I join the GFA masterclass.
• New clients up until now include Hugo Boss, Syre, TMC, MyClimate and Apple.

EU milestones

• 2024 is just as eventful in the EU! The 2024 EU elections mark a pivotal moment as citizens across the continent cast their votes in June.
• In July, the new political guidelines were set, outlining the high-level direction for the next mandate.
• The hearing of the EU Commissioner candidates also takes place between September and October, and the new European Commission should take office within the last two months of this year.

What’s Coming Next at Ohana and in Brussels

So what’s on the horizon for our company, and for sustainability legislation within the EU?

Upcoming in the EU

As previously mentioned, the Green Deal should keep going strong, and will now enter its implementation phase, also as a means to ensure EU competitiveness.

Von der Leyen has announced her willingness to work on the social pillar of the Just Transition, with a big focus on skills, women, and youth. This includes the Quality Jobs Roadmap, which deals with the subject of fair wages and good working conditions, and the New Gender Equality Strategy (post 2025), to be launched on March 8, 2025.

Other legislative developments to keep an eye on in this new mandate are the WEEE and REACH revisions, the Ocean Strategy, and the Circular Economy Act – a new policy aimed at developing a secondary material market, and a single market for waste.

The Future at Ohana

As we celebrate this milestone, I’m more excited than ever for what’s to come!

At Ohana, we will continue to strengthen our position as a reference in public affairs when it comes to the EU textile industry, and extend our impact towards other sectors, such as electrical and electronics, and agri-food.

We are also dedicated to further consolidating our compliance and implementation support services — facilitating the dialogue with suppliers in production countries, providing strategic overviews of legislative impacts, and guidance on how to start the work within businesses.

Team-wise, we will also soon be welcoming a new expert into the team, specialised in Chemicals and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).

I would like to finalise this very special piece, with a big thank you to all of you who have collaborated with us over the years. From team members and clients, to our many industry partners, and even the readers of this blog. Having built this community is our greatest achievement, and I’m incredibly proud of the role we continue to play in shaping a sustainable future. Here’s to many more years of growth, innovation, and driving positive change.

Want someone with deep experience and connections in the EU to help guide your sustainability strategy? Get in touch!

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